Mini Impatiens plant named ‘Bodlizros’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Mini  Impatiens  plant named ‘Bodlizros’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; small dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and small red purple-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Impatiens wallerianacultivar Bodlizros.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of MiniImpatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bodlizros’.

The new Mini Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new compact and freely-branching MiniImpatiens cultivars with numerous small flowers and attractive flowerand foliage coloration.

The new Impatiens originated from a self-pollination made by theInventor in December, 1999, of a proprietary Impatiens wallerianaselection identified as code number 01IM172-6, not patented. Thecultivar Bodlizros was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in acontrolled environment in Lompoc, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken inLompoc, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiensare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bodlizros’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bodlizros’ as a new and distinct Mini Impatienscultivar:

1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.

3. Small dark green-colored leaves.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. Small red purple-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyondthe foliage.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the parentselection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more compact than plants of theparent selection.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller leaves than plants of theparent selection.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller flowers than plants of theparent selection.

The new Impatiens can be compared to the Impatiens walleriana cultivarFify Pink, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conductedin Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants ofthe cultivar Fify Pink in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were taller than plants of the cultivarFify Pink.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens were not as freely branching as plants ofthe cultivar Fify Pink.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger leaves than plants of thecultivar Fify Pink.

4. Plants of the new Impatiens had red purple-colored flowers whereasplants of the cultivar Fify Pink had dark pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a flowering plant of ‘Bodlizros’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Bodlizros’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Bodlizros have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Lompoc, Calif., under commercial practice in apolycarbonate-covered greenhouse during the winter and spring with daytemperatures ranging from 18 to 24° C., night temperatures ranging from16 to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 4,000 to 8,000 foot-candles.Rooted young plants were planted in 10-cm containers and had beengrowing for about 16 weeks when the photographs and the description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens walleriana cultivar Bodlizros.

Parentage: Self-pollination of a proprietary Impatiens wallerianaselection identified as code number 01IM172-6, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 14 days at 22° C.

Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 28 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, fleshy; white in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and moundedplant habit.

Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous and freely-branchinggrowth habit with about 10 basal branches; lateral branches potentiallyforming at every node; dense and bushy growth habit. Pinching, that isremoval of the terminal apex, is typically not required, but willenhance branching.

Plant height.—About 14 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 to 14 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.Internode length: About 1.5 to 2 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:148B with random flecks, 187C.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 3.2cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base:Attenuate. Margin: Slightly crenate with ciliation. Texture, upper andlower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developingand fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, uppersurface: 147B. Venation, lower surface: 147C. Petiole: Length: About 2.5cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,glabrous. Color: 147C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Numerous small single flowers that are roughlytriangular in shape. Four to five flowers arranged in axillary clusters.Freely flowering, usually about 40 flowers and flower buds per lateralbranch. Flowers positioned above the foliage and typically face uprightor outward. Flowers last about five to seven days under greenhouseconditions. Flowers persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous through the spring andsummer.

Flower size.—Height: About 2.6 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Depth (notincluding spur): About 5 mm.

Flower buds (at stage of showing color).—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter:About 4 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 70C to 70D.

Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single whorl. Length,banner petal: About 1 cm. Length, lateral petals: About 1.1 cm. Length,basal petals: About 1.5 cm. Width, banner petal: About 1.5 cm. Width,lateral petals: About 8 mm. Width, basal petals: About 8 mm. Shape:Obovate to slightly cordate. Apex: Rounded and slightly emarginate.Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:Smooth, glabrous.

Color.—When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 57A to 57B; towardsbase, 61A; with development, narrow longitudinal streaks, 71C to 71D.When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 57D.

Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl; one modified intoan elongated spur. Calyx length: About 5 mm. Calyx diameter: About 5 mm.Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to144A. Spur length: About 2.3 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 2 mm;at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur color: 182A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: About 45°from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 148A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused around stigma. Antherlength: About 2 mm. Anther color: 71B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollencolor: 83C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 72A. Style color: 147A. Ovarycolor: 147A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Mini Impatiens plantnamed ‘Bodlizros’, as illustrated and described.